Concrete pipe machine



A. C. GORDAN CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Aug. 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3. 1957 Fig./

l 2 Alvin c. Gordan INVENTOR.

Aug. 16, 1960 A. c. GORDAN CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE 2 B 9. mm M 3 3 2 R t I III k I 0 .m v 6V M M 4 m m m M m S i i] ll I l N .t 6 1 mm m mm Q E mm 2 C 3 m QM A Q&

Filed Sept. 5, 1957- Aug. 16, 1960 A. c. GORDAN 2,948,942

I CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Filed Sept. 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5

Til

Fig-

Alvin 6. Gordan INVENTOR.

United States Patent CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Alvin C. Gordan, Bradshaw, Nebr.

Filed Sept. '3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,655

1 Claim. (Cl. 25-32) This invention relates to a concrete pipe forming machine, and more particularly to a machine for forming in a trench a continuous and jointless pipe of concrete or similar material.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a machine for forming continuous and jointless concrete pipe in a trench without requiring the use of external forms.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a self-propelled concrete pipe forming machine which moves ahead as the concrete pipe is constructed and deposited in a trench.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a concrete pipe forming machine which is adapted to pack concrete to the extent that it is solid enough to stand alone without external forms.

Still further objects and features of this invention resides in the provision of a concrete pipe forming machine that is simple in construction, eflicient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to construct, thereby permitting extensive use thereof.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this concrete pipe forming machine, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the concrete pipe forming machine comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the concrete pipe forming machine;

Figure 4 is a front end elevational view illustrating the machine in a ditch or trench which latter is shown in vertical transverse section;

Figure 5 is a rear end elevational view of the invention shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the invention as taken in vertical longitudinal section along the plane of line 66 in Figure 2 illustrating in particular the construction of the arcuate plate and associated hoppers, together with the construction of the drum;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional detail view on an enlarged scale as taken along the plane of line 7-7 in Figure 6 illustrating in particular the shape of the tamper; and

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional detail view illustrating the form of a completed pipe constructed while employing the invention.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the concrete pipe machine comprising the present invention, and which includes a frame 12 having spaced pairs of longitudinally extending horizontal members 14, 16, 18 and 20 interconnected by pairs of vertical frame members 22, 24, and 26 and 28, as

well as pairs of transverse horizontally extending frame members 32, 34 and 36, 38.

Fixed to the frame is an alignment shaft 40 to which a drum 42 is rigidly attached, the. dmm 42 having a substantially conical portion 44 at the front end thereof and a cylindrical portion 46 at the rear end thereof. A fol lower drum 48 of resilient material is secured, as at 50, to

' the cylindrical portion 46 of the drum.

Overlyin the drum 42 is an arcuate plate 52 which is secured to the frame. A front plate 54 is positioned immeidately in front of the conical portion 44 and likewise is secured to the frame. The arcuate plate 52 is provided with a section 56, hinged, as at 58, and braced by means of brace 60 which is connected as at 62 and 64 to the supporting frame member 66 for hoppers 68 and 78 and to the hinged portion 56 of the arcuate plate, respectively. The plates 52, 54 and 56 comprise a form for shaping the top surface of a concrete pipe being formed in a trench by this apparatus.

In addition to the frame member 66, frame member '74 is also provided for holding the hoppers 68 and 70 in place. The arcuate plate 52 has a pair of apertures 76 and '78 therein in alignment with the hoppers 68 and 70 which extend through the apertures. Adjustable closure members of any suitable construction, not shown, may be provided for the opening 76 or 78 and for the hoppers as desired to permit the openings to be adjusted in size for control of the rate of flow through the apertures and into the space below the arcuate plate 52.

Extending from the plate 56 is a guide 80 for the rod 82 of a tamper 84, the tamper being of a horseshoe shape having an upper arcuate portion 86 and depending legs 88 and 90. This can be best seen in Figure 7. The rod 82 extends through a suitable support or guide 92 carried by the frame 24 and extends through the plate 54 and has pivotally connected, as at 96, a pitman 98 pivoted as at 100 eccentrically on a disk 102 rotatable through a gear box 104 by the shaft 106. The driven shaft 106 is driven by means of endless belts 108 and 110 entrained about pulley 114 on the shaft 166 and also about pulley 116 on the drive shaft 118 driven by a suitable motor 120. The motor 120 may be an electric motor if electric power is desired, or may be a conventional gasolene motor, which motor is mounted on the frame 12. A belt tightener 124 of conventional construction is provided.

In order to enable the concrete pipe forming machine to be moved within the trench, rolls which rotate about horizontal axees are mounted between the frame members 16 and 20 and are indicated at and 132. Pairs of side rollers 134, 136, and 138, are supported by the longitudinally extending horizontal frame members which are adapted to minimize friction and permit movement of the device should it engage the sides of the trench or ditch.

In operation, dry mix concrete is positioned within the hoppers 68 and 70. The dry mix concrete having just enough water therein to enable it to set will pass through the openings 76 and 78 going both below and above the drum 42. Reciprocating movement of the tamper 84 will cause the mix to become solid enough to be self supporting without the necessity of use of forms or the like. Further tamping movement against the cement deposited will cause the machine to progress forwardly as more and more mix is tamped. The weight of the machine and the force applied by the tamper, together with the amount of material being dispersed, will determine the rate of forward movement of the machine. The follower 48 which is behind the core formed by the drum 46 will insure that the interior of the pipe remains circular and free of protrusions. The ensuing pipe will be of the shape as is seen best in Figure 8, having an arcuate upper portion 150, a central bore 152, and a lower portion 154 substantially filling the ditch or trench in which the pipe is laid.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous 3 V modifications and changes will readily occuratouthose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly allgsuitable modifications and quiv len -may et ESQ F QiF v lin hin 1 he s ope of e in entien ee e rned-t,

t. i ela med esnew. i s ellew a, A e e erpip o m n meeh ne empr s ner lrelee tively, r ew' emeime ht d 1 9. 11; supne t n irellers nd adapted to he received inie t enehi wh 'eh e erete p pe. is be nedasaid re e a in nt eally. ispo d rollers mounted on opposite sides foi ,engagernent with the sides of e ehehri l eheitudinal r nd-hor onta ly extending, ua e lateumohnted neei r me. and x- 15' ing the p d' sl shrt eesre p p te b e med, V a.

tending werd y her f om. in sa d e eh f r sham rearwardly extending arcuate auxiliary plate hingedly mounted the r e r je dje re id. r me t onel plat brace means connecting said auxiliary plate, and said frame to hold said auxiliary plate in operative position,

an elongated cylindrical drum carried by said framedis posed longitudinally thereofin spaced relation bene'ath said plate to provide a core, the forward end of said drum being tapered t-to provide a conical forward nose portion, 7

a hopper for concrete mounted on said frame and disposed directly above said nose, pontion fordis charge ing concrete around said nose portionand into the bottom of the trench reform-the bottomportion of the pinata second hopper for concrete mounted on said frame rearwardly of said first hopper and disposed above the cylindrical portion of said drum; for discharging concrete around the upper and side surfaces of said drum to fill the space between the concrete deposited from the first hopper and the lower surface of said plate, a reciprocating tamper mounted on said frame between said drum and said plate, said tamper surrounding the-upper side surfaces of said drum and extending,downwardly ito a point, substantially in alignment with the lowermost surface of said drum and movable from. a :point. between ,saicLfiIstrand second hoppers to epeint. eer rsl y fsa lsee mi pp to compact concrete deposited between said plate and said drum and means fqr reciprocating@Qisi-tarnper.

References Cited in the file of this patent NIIEQ IAIE A AIEN S.

639,858 Martin et-jal x Dec. 26,1899

772,319 Wilson Oct; 11, 1904' 938,223 Dockery Oct.26, 1909 1,075,877' Turner; Oct. 14,1913 2,324,760 Brulotte July 20,1943 2,406,025 Moor; Aug. 20,1946 2,748,442 Butcher June 5,1956" 

